How To Prepare For Seamless Gutter Installation

Are you ready to ditch the leaking sectional gutters on your home and install seamless gutters? There are a few things you need to do first to make sure installation goes well and that your gutters can serve your home for a long time. 

Old Gutter Removal

Old guttering should be taken down a day or two before your seamless gutters are scheduled to be installed. The reason is simple — this gives you time to inspect the eaves and repair any minor damages before the new custom gutters are installed. If you don't want to take the old gutters down yourself, you can arrange with your seamless gutter installer for removal. 

The old gutters on the home likely weren't seamless, so they can be taken down in sections. Begin by locating the attachment hardware and carefully remove it from the eaves. It's important to keep the old gutter lengths supported as you remove them as you don't want the weight of the gutter to yank out hardware and cause damages. Chances are that your new gutters won't be using the old hardware, as it was designed to fit the old sectional guttering system. 

Roof and Trim Preparation

Once the gutters are down, the roof edge and trim may need some small repairs. Paint damage and holes in the eaves are the most common types of damage, but it may be necessary to replace a damaged shingle near the edge of the roof, as well. Perform these repairs before you install the seamless gutters as it is more difficult to do so afterward. 

Fill any small holes with wood putty and then sand smooth. If any eave boards are badly damaged or rotten, replace them completely. Sand off any peeling paint, as well. Finish off by repainting the eave boards with a quality outdoor paint. 

Downspout Drainage Planning

Your installer will need to work with you to develop a drainage plan. Once the gutters are installed, the next step is putting in the downspouts on the corners of your home. You don't want these downspouts to drain out too closely to the foundation or in any other area that could cause problems. 

You can have longer downspouts put in that empty out in nearby flower or vegetable beds. If the spout will be too long, ask about hinged spouts. These lift out of the way when you need to mow or work in the area. 

Contact a custom seamless gutter installation service for more help.